Geranium plant named ‘Dueimvidared’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Dueimvidared’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; and dark red-colored double flowers.

Botanical denomination: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar designation: ‘Dueimvidared’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dueimvidared’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely and early flowering Zonal Geraniums with attractive flower and foliage colors.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on July 1, 1998, of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number F-19-15, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number F-04-09, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Dueimvidared was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany on Jun. 1, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings at Rheinberg, Germany since Jul. 1, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dueimvidared’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dueimvidared’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely and early flowering habit.     -   5. Dark red-colored double flowers.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more vigorous. In addition, plants of the new Zonal Geranium and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers. Compared to plants of the male parent selection, leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium do not have a visible leaf zonation pattern whereas plants of the male parent selection have a distinct leaf zonation pattern. In addition, plants of the new Zonal Geranium and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have orange red-colored flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Duevidared, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,906. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Duevidared in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more vigorous than         plants of the cultivar Duevidared.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium did not have a         visible leaf zonation pattern whereas leaves of plants of the         cultivar Duevidared had a distinct leaf zonation pattern.     -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger flowers than         plants of the cultivar Duevidared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dueimvidared’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Dueimvidared has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the summer under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures about 18° C. and light levels about 4,500 foot-candles. Plants were grown in 10.5-cm containers. Plants were pinched once about three weeks after planting. Plants were about eight weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photograph and the detailed botanical description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar     Dueimvidared. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum             identified as F-19-15, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum             identified as F-04-09, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 5 days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 7 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About three weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading             and rounded plant habit; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous growth habit. Freely             branching, about three to five lateral branches per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 23 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 8.5 cm. Internode length:             About 1.4 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 5.8 cm. Width: About 6.9 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Cordate. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern:             Palmate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,             upper surface: 137A to 137B; venation, 144A. Developing and             fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138B; venation, 144A.             Zonation pattern: Not visible. Petiole: Length: About             6.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Dark red-colored double flowers arranged             in rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf             axils. Umbels displayed above and beyond the foliage on             peduncles. Flowers rounded in form. Umbels persistent,             flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; at full flower,             plants have about six flower umbels with about 23 flowers             per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Flowering continuous spring through the             summer. Plants begin flowering about eight weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on             the plant.         -   Umbel size.—Diameter: About 11.75 cm. Height: About 7 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4.9 cm. Depth (height): About 2             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About 3 cm.             Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire; sinuate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: 42A; color becoming closer to 45B with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             43C.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About two to four. Length:             About 2.3 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; sinuate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: 42A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: 43C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five or six arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 3.4 mm.             Shape: Elongated, tapering. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 11.2 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 cm. Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle: Mostly erect. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 59A to 59B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:             About ten. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.             Anther color: 47C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             28A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Five-parted, star-shaped.             Stigma color: 60A to 60B. Style length: About 5 mm. Style             color: 51B. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Development of seeds and fruit have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to     about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Dueimvidared’, as herein illustrated and described. 